Adam Darling shakes up the music scene

Cue the rhythmic guitar, soulful beats, melodic chorus and enticing voice. Los Angeles-based artist Adam Darling, 28, is making his way onto the music scene one hit at a time. His first full-length album, Ready, Aim, Fire, was released Nov. 9, featuring his tantalizing single, â€œBreak My Heart.â€

Originally from Columbus Ohio, Darling moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to fulfill his dreams of making it big in the music industry.

â€œL.A. was the right place for me. I came out to visit and loved it, and decided to make the big move. I had been planning on it for awhile,â€ Darling said.

Darlingâ€™s interest in music began at a young age, when his mother instructed him to take piano lessons.

â€œI took piano for seven or eight years. When I was 12, I picked up the guitar because a friend of mine started learning and I wanted to learn as well. That age is when I hit a point where I really started liking music,â€Darling said .

Darling recognized his talent for singing in his mid-teens.

â€œA few years after playing the guitar, I embraced the singing aspect and it happened when I started writing songs and lyrics. Iâ€™d give them to my friend of mine named David, who would sing them initially. Then I felt that they were so personal that I wanted them to be sung a certain way, that I had to figure how I could do it myself,â€ Darling said.

Once in Los Angeles, Darling wasted no time in attaining his goal of tackling the music industry.

â€œI put a band together right when I moved here. I had recorded a previous record that I used at a demo to get people interested, and I booked gigs at the Temple Bar and was able to play the Viper Room and the House of Blues and a few other places just on my own,â€ Darling said. â€œThen I took time and focused on the songwriting aspect and wanted to be as professional as I possibly could, and ended up starting my own record label, Movata Records. I believed in the songs enough and I believed in keeping my creative rights that I wanted to take control of my own career as far as not waiting for somebody else to sign me or propel my career. I wanted to do it as much as I could, on my own.â€

Darlingâ€™s influences are all across the map. From classic rock to pop to hip-hop, various genres have inspired his songwriting and music.

â€œI like listening to all types of music. Iâ€™ve been on a big hip-hop kick for awhile. I really like Kanye West, Timberland and all the production of hip-hop music, and the way it makes people move,â€œ Darling said. â€œBut I also like very melodic and soulful stuff, like John Mayer, Maroon 5, Soundgarden, Chris Cornell and Sting. Theyâ€™re definitely influences. Anything Iâ€™m into becomes an influence into my songwriting, just because it makes me feel good so I want to bring that element into my songwriting and musical production.â€

After two successful album release parties at The Roxy in Los Angeles and Skullyâ€™s in Ohio, Darling is currently working on headlining a spring tour in venues along Southern California and through the Midwest to promote his new album.

Fans love Darlingâ€™s unique sound.

â€œI like the sound of his music ? that heâ€™s soulful and writes his own songs. Heâ€™s a mix of John Mayer and Adam Levine of Maroon 5,â€ said fan Lori Trimble.
His fans appreciate the diverse elements of his songs.

â€œThe music is fun, sexy and romantic. He sings about love and the songs have a great message. Heâ€™s a very unassuming person, but comes to life when onstage,â€ said publicist Issen Alibris.
Darling appreciates the wide range of support he’s gotten.

â€œPeople have been real supportive, and I look forward to getting better and giving them a better show and better songs in the future,â€ said Darling.

Darling will perform at The Roxy in Los Angeles on Jan. 21 at 9:30 p.m.

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